Throne of Light
by Kellerella
Summary: My version of Aelin's life. I tried to keep it as close to the story as I could, but I have not read Heir of Fire yet so it's guessing and imagination.
1. Prologue

_Somewhere at sea._

The Lord of the North stared down at her. Shining brighter than all the other constellations, as if trying to tell her that the events of her past were about to be revealed.

She sat on the deck of the ship alone. It was past midnight, and everyone but a few crew members were below deck sleeping. She was not able to sleep. To many memories of lives past were keeping her up.

All her life, she had always been able to identify the guardian of Terrasen in the night sky. It was an ever present reminder that no matter how far she ran, no matter how much time had passed, Terrasen would always own her. It was her one true home. It belonged to her as much as she belonged to it. Whenever an important point in her life had occurred, she would look up and see the stag, or catch a breath of cold air with the taste of pine, reminding her of Orynth, The City of Lights, and the Place of her birth.

Seeing the stag the day she entered Endovier had given her the strength to remember how to breathe. She was convinced that it was because she was so close to Terrasen that enabled her to survive longer than anyone else had in the salt mines without breaking.

And now, the same thing that saved her those hard months had become her new torture.

Chuckling at herself for ever thinking that she could hide from her past without it coming back to haunt her, the Lost Queen of Terrasen allowed herself to finally remember.


	2. Chapter 1: Birth

_16 Years before the Assassin and the Pirate Lord_

Pacing from one side of the drawing room to another, the Rhoe listened to the screams of his wife, Evalin, a few rooms down. She had gone into early labor, the child within impatient to leave the safety of her mother to take on the world. . Quinn, a friend of the family sat with them for support. Rhoe's Uncle Orlon sat in one of the chairs reading a book on the ancient languages.

Or at least trying to. He was having trouble concentrating with the knowledge of the danger two of his family were in.

Evalin came to Terrasen six years ago, at the age of fifteen and married Rhoe, who was twenty at the time. Over the years, respect and friendship developed, and eventually love. To their dismay, Evalin could not conceive. They were forced to resort to magic. It took an immense amount of power over the past seven months to prevent the child from miscarrying. The best healers on continent were asked to preside. Now at thirty- four weeks, the child was about to be born.

"I cannot take this for much longer" Rhoe breathed. Evalin had been in labor for over a day now.

"It shouldn't be much longer" said Orlon, "the woman who came out said the child was crowning. It goes by much quicker after that".

Sure enough, no more than five minutes later, the whole world seemed to go silent, and just as Rhoe thought the silence would never end, a soft wail could be hear from the next room.

Quinn jumped from his chair to hug and congratulate Rhoe. The new father himself stood as if frozen, watching the door, as he listened to the cry of his child and to the footsteps coming down the hall.

The door soon opened to emit one of the many tired women who attended the birth. When she saw the inhabitants of the room, she curtsied. Orlon stood and said "Rise" as he smiled, "and deliver the news".

"As you wish, my king" said the woman as she stood. "Though it was a difficult birth, both mother and child are well. My Lady asked me to not reveal the gender, for she wished to tell you herself. She is ready for you to visit."

The men filed out of the room and walked down the hall. Upon reaching the bed chamber they entered to see Evalin sitting up in bed, as people fussed around her. As people began to notice they were there, they curtsied and bowed and left the room. Rhoe rushed forward and saw that his wife was holding a bundle of light green silk, with a small nose sticking out.

Rhoe sank down on to the bed and wrapped his arms around his wife, as he peered down at his child. Two eyes ringed with gold stared back up at them. Ashryver eyes, his wife's eyes. The child had his nose but her dainty lips and cheek bones. He knew before she said it. This precious person was his daughter, a girl, a princess, and future queen.

"Aelin, Princess Aelin Ashryver Galathynius of Terrasen"


	3. Chapter 2: Lessons

_3 ½ years later_

Aelin sat in her chair with her back pressed up against the chair. Mistress Prewette stood watching her as she tried to keep herself from squirming. She had to manage to sit still with perfect posture for five could be no sound coming from her. No laughing, talking, or even clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth.

She hated her etiquette lessons with everything she had. One day she overheard someone use the term "bane of my existence". When her reading tutor later answered her question about the meaning, she decided that the expression suited how she felt about etiquette lessons perfectly.

It wasn't they were painful by any means. Even now, she might have been uncomfortable, but she wasn't hurt. She knew that if her parents thought that any of her tutors were using any and all extreme physical measures to teach her, they would be furious. It was just that the lessons were so boring. Learning to sit still, speak nicely, and act appropriately was hard for her. She hated to sit still, was sharp tongued, and stubborn about doing what she wanted.

Aelin much preferred her other lessons.

Reading and writing were okay. Her tutor, Mistress Sibyl, always understood when she stumbled over a word, and would always give her a piece of chocolate at the end of the lesson.

Numbers were made bearable by Master Stein, who always found a fun new way to add and subtract different things. One day it was pieces of candy, the next was horses out in the stables. One day they even went and sat on the balcony overlooking her uncle's court and counted how many nobles had their noses in the air.

Even dancing wasn't so bad. Mistress Prewett also taught that, and her partner was always her cousin Aedion. Aelin loved to dance, and it was always great fun to watch Aedion step all over himself. Dancing was one thing that Aelin was better at than him.

Finally, the small timer on the table in front of her rang out, sharp and clear. Mistress Prewette smiled, and Aelin knew that she had passed the test.

"Congragulations Princess, you actually survived not being constantly in motion" said Mistress Prewette. "I was starting to doubt you there at the end".

"Thank the Gods," Aelin muttered as she jumped out of her chair. She had started to think her head might explode. Mistress Prewette cam over to help her push the chair out of the way. Aedion, who had been sitting in the corner making faces at her, stood up and laughed.

"Don't know how you did it" he laughed.

"How could I not," Aelin laughed as well, "when you were trying your hardest to make sure I failed?".

Mistress Prewette sat a disapproving frown his way, just now realizing that Aedion had been making faces behind her back. Aedion just laughed and said, "Careful cousin, your stubbornness is showing. Besides, atleast you now know you can perform under pressure. That's important. Is that not so, Mistress?"

"Yes, that is important, but we still should not try to sabotage each other. You two are both dismissed for the day".

With that, the two children took off running for the back gardens. Where only the royal family was allowed, so they could do, act, and say whatever they wanted.

And most importantly, just be children.


End file.
